Spring has Sprung!

We've just had a lovely week in Dorset visiting my Dad and his wife. It's the only chance they get to see Noodle. Just once a year. We live too far apart to just pop in even for a day and Noodle is too lively for us to stay with him so we hire a lodge on a holiday site and make a week's holiday of it. Here's Noodle and Other Great Grandma on the beach at Studland.

'im indoors nearly spoiled the week for me by getting drunk the night before we went. I do absolutely everything in preparation for holidays. From booking to paying to clearing up the house to packing to driving us there and back. All he does is help with the loading of the car. The rest of the time he is literally "the passenger" in every sense. He's a tendancy to celebrate imminent holidays but this time he surpassed himself. The mess I had to clear up at 2 in the morning is not for delicate dispositions. I had 4 hours sleep on the sofa and then had to get up, clean the bathroom AGAIN because I wasn't happy to use it as it was. Change the bed, wash the bedclothes and leave them hanging in the house to dry. Do the packing and then drive us all to Dorset. Some start to a holiday! Haven't explained to him exactly how he let me down that day, I get too angry when I talk about it and we end up rowing. But, mark my words, he WILL understand how he loses my respect when he does things like that. My patience, though legendary, is not limitless. He'd better beware!

My profile says I'm newly retired and "can't wait for summer" well it's just round the corner at last! The boat's all ready. We've had a couple of short trips on the river, last month when it was so hot (mmmm.. remember how that felt?) so once the sun comes out again we'll be away most weekends I hope. 'im indoors has decided to work this week. He would normally be at home in the school holiday and it's half term. But, probably due to the cold reception he's getting at home and the rain, he's thought it best to disappear. Probably a wise move under the circumstances. His working gives us "days owed" which means we can have long weekends until the school breaks up at the end of July then there will be no work until September so we'll be taking longer trips on the boat and up at the caravan.

Have you planted your annuals out yet? This is the week for it as the chance of frost overnight has passed now. I planted up the patio pots and hanging baskets. They do look nice. The roses are starting to come out and there's a real sense of plumtiousness in the garden.

Speaking of which, I'd better get out there and put some annuals in the spaces in the beds.